AI helps design bespoke mRNA cancer vaccine for dog

Australian tech entrepreneur Paul Conyngham worked with University of New South Wales researchers to produce a personalised mRNA vaccine for his dog Rosie, who was diagnosed with mast cell cancer, after conventional surgery and chemotherapy failed, according to reporting by ABC, Fortune and The Scientist. Conyngham used large language models and protein-structure tools – including `ChatGPT` and `AlphaFold` – to process tumour sequencing and identify neoantigen targets, per The Scientist and Fortune. UNSW researcher Pall Thordarson and colleagues formulated an mRNA vaccine that, multiple outlets report, shrank Rosie’s tumours and improved her mobility. ABC reports scientists warning that Australian regulatory requirements are “outdated” and are impeding translation of AI-assisted personalised therapies into human clinical care.